Rangers Stadium Is The No. 1 Vegan-Friendly Ballpark In The Country, According To PETA

Five stories that have North Texas talking: Globe Life Park is vegan-friendly; DeSoto lawmaker addresses “lunch shaming”; the legislative fight continues over whether transgender Texans can use the bathroom; and more.

Of all the places in North Texas known for their vegan food, Globe Life Park in Arlington recently received a ringing endorsement. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) this month deemed the home of the Texas Rangers the No. 1 vegan-friendly ballpark in the country. The park has been absent from PETA’s annual list for almost a decade. And this year, Globe Life Park is the only Texas venue in the top 10. The organization commended the ballpark for having an entire food stand dedicated to vegan foods, like meat-free jerky, black bean burgers, spinach wraps with hummus and other meatless, dairy-free items. The cart, located on the first floor in section 16 on the third base side of the park, launched last spring “partly because of a very persistent, dedicated vegan from Van Alstyne named Twalla Grant,” according to GuideLive. [GuideLive]

A North Texas lawmaker is launching a donation page to address “lunch shaming” in schools. State Rep. Helen Giddings, D-DeSoto, says she was “shocked” and “horrified” to learn that students without enough money to buy lunch were humiliated in schools and weren’t provided food. In response, she’s working with Feeding Texas, a statewide association of food banks, to set up a donation page for people to contribute money “that will go toward reimbursing schools that feed students whose lunch accounts are empty,” the Texas Tribune reports. [The Texas Tribune]

Learning to move on early in life, Jerry Harris is ready for college. Harris is one of seven North Texas students KERA has been following throughout high school. They’re now preparing to graduate. A few years ago, Jerry’s parents split up, and he chose to move to Ardmore, Oklahoma to live with his dad. “It’s been difficult but good. I think we have a really good relationship. It’s probably stronger than if he lived here,” Jerry’s mom, Susie, says. Now, he’s heading to the University of Oklahoma in the fall to pursue anesthesiology. Meet the Class of ‘17. [KERA News]

The Texas Senate will reject the “bathroom amendment,” a compromise proposed by the House. An amendment to Senate Bill 2078 requires schools to provide access to single-occupancy restrooms if a student doesn't want to use the facility that corresponds to their biological sex. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the amendment’s “ambiguous language” didn’t “appear to do much,” the Texas Tribune reports. Patrick threatened to push for a special session if lawmakers didn’t approve one of two measures that were broader than the House’s compromise. [The Texas Tribune]

As West Dallas transforms, church members have concerns about what will happen to their neighborhood. There’s a small section of West Dallas, only about six blocks, called Gilbert-Emory. It’s in the shadow of new apartments and townhomes being built next to Singleton Boulevard. And in that little neighborhood, there are four to five tiny churches. Despite new development, church members and pastors are focused on faith. “I got to know God in my most intimate ways here in West Dallas.” [KERA News]

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